Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-04-21
THE SUNNY SOUTH.
DEFuN1AK spnrNes. Fla, April

On the 23d Of November we bid goodbye
to our St. Clairsville friends and set our faces
southwark, with view of spending another
winter in the sunny south. Our active hack.
man, Sam. Cochran, conveyed us to the Bell
laire & St G. railroad, on which we went to
Wheeling to meet the steamer Andes, leaving
for Cincinnati that evening. Capt. Chas.
Muhleman kindly sent his porter to meet us
at the depot to take charge of our baggage,
and to inform US that the boat was not just at
the wharf, but that he would send us word
when it arrived. DR.. Jepson, who also met
US at the depot with his buggy, had us go
with him and spend the intervening time.
About p. m. we repaired to the boat and
were soon assigned good state rooms by Mr.
Nolle, the clerk. The Andes is deservedly
popular boat, well officered. They did every
hing possible to accommodate. and make us
comfortable.
A trip down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers
by steam boat to New Orleans is, to those
having leisure, always interesting, pleasant.
and restful. OF this part of our journey will
not here say great deal, having described,
at length, in former letters to The CHRoNI-
CAL, written en- previous trips south the
beauty Of the Ohio and the grandeur Of the
Mississippi, with the ever varying and charm
ing scenery, and the historical towns and
CLUES along LQelT DOFCcIs- L Will OILY name
an item or two and then pass.
About noon on second day out we reached
Gallipolis, Ohio. very old town, settled first
by French colony about 200 years ago, but
people OF other nstionalities coming in, and
in later years many from surrounding country
settling there, the French element has about
disappeared. Lafayette, when re>vsiting
this country more than half century ago, Wis.,
tied this town. We were shown the house in
which he stayed all night.
Arriving at Cincinnati on the 9th, we
were transferred to sthe steamer New Mary
Houston, one of the New Orleans line boats,
and which, by the way, is the same boat we
travelled on when going to the great exposition
at New Orleans, two winters ago. We left
the Queen City at $50 that evening, and at Q
p. m. next day reached Louisville, KY. Here
our boat got into great difficulty and was, for
a time, in imminent danger of Icing wrecked.
ON THE FALLS OF OHIO,
Into which she was drawn prematurely and
Unexpectedly. In eDdeavoring to make the
landing Just above the falls, squall of wind
struck her which veered her round down
stream too close to the falls, and she was
drawn into the chute by the rapid current,
and in an incredibly short space of time was
hurled down stern foremost within a short
distance of the bridge which spans the river
at this place. a full head Of steam was put
on and an effort made to stem the current,
which here runs at the rate of fifteen to
twenty miles an hour, and get away, if pos
sible, from the close proximity of the bridge,
but not q particle could she galn-barely
holding her own; and here we were, liable at
any time to be dashed against the piers of
the bridge, if the least thing would get wrong
with the engine. The whistle blew the sig
nal of distress. Promptly the life -saving
service came to our relief. Two life boats
came first, swiftly down the current, manned
by three sturdy seamen, and hovered around
the boat to pick us up should our boat be
wrecked. Following these came two tug
boats which attached themselves to our boat.
one on each side, and by their powerful en-
gines and appliances worked US over into
proper position above the two piers of the
bridge, under the spsn of which they guided
US safely to the river below, to the great re-
lief Of the officers and crew of the boat as
well as the passengers. A landing was made
at LockpoIt, which is at the foot of the canal,
through which we went back to Louisville
and layed up all night
Next morning we passed over the falls
again, this time, however, in legitimate
way-bow foremost-without difficulty or
danger. So we had two runs over The falls
the same trip without extra charge. No other
mishap or episode of Importance occurred on
the balance of our journey.
We sped away southwark toward the Missis-
issippi, and on her broad waters through "Dixie
land" In passing through this land one often
sees an aspect of dcsolatiOn and decay, and a
great want of progress and thrift in many
places, especially about Natchez where proper
ty is not particle higher in price than it was
at the close of the war, when it was sold for
| song. 1t would make one feel like getting
back speedily to "God's country" were it not
that occasionally one sees certain localities
where there are evidences of thrift and enter
prise, and s great deal of natural beauty of
scenery, fertility of soil and salubrity of
climate.
We landed at New Orleans at D. M, Dec.
9Th, being II days out from Cincinnati We
remained on board till morning, and having the
day before us we spent it looking over the citv
Our train pulled out for De Funak Springs at
6 p. m, and we arrived at our destination next
morning at 8 O'Clock.
DE FUNIAR SPRINGS
Has greatly improved since we left here year
ago. A great many new buildings have been
| erected, among them fine art hall and library
building; two new hotels. A board walk has
been put down around the lake, which makes
a spendid promenade. Some of the new dwell
ings are very fine ones. The new court house
and Jail is now under contract TO be finished
during the summer at a cost of about SIG; 900.
Lots and good building sites have been sought
after, and large number purchased during this
winter, with view of building on them. So it
is expected that those coming here next winter
will find a large additional number of new
buildings and other improvements.
The place is delightful and healthful resort
the town the central gem of the several towns
strung along the Pensacola & Atlantic railroad